Pukeko strikes deals for Kiddets in China

The Kiwi studio’s animated preschool series will air on China's CCTV and iQIYI, marking first co-pro between the two countries since signing a treaty in 2014.

Chinese broadcaster CCTV and VOD platform iQIYI have picked up New Zealand animation studio Pukeko Pictures’ animated series Kiddets to debut in the region.

To kick things off, two episodes will be broadcast back-to-back daily on CCTV’s morning kids channel, and will then be available on demand on iQIYI from the next day on.

A sister series to the studio’s WotWot franchise, Kiddets is co-produced by Pukeko Pictures and Hengxin Shambala Kids; in fact, it’s the first kids TV co-pro between New Zealand and China under treaty guidelines established in 2014. The 52 x 11-minute CGI preschool series debuted last year on ABC (Australia), TVNZ’s TV2 and VOD platform HEI HEI (New Zealand). Aimed at fans of The WotWots, the show focuses on five would-be space cadets as they learn skills to explore new planets.

The UK’s CAKE is handling distribution of Kiddets everywhere in the world except Australia, New Zealand and Greater China. The company also manages the North American and European rights to the second season of The WotWots, which airs in more than 100 countries.